PATH TO THE DRAFT AND PIMPING PLAYERS

[Bretsky]

I'm getting into watching this show on NFL Network. Considers your thread for commenting on the show or pimping your favorite players. Here is a safety I'd be all for in round 2 or 3. now I know many will say we'd love him in round 4...IMO he doesn't get there.

ED REYNOLDS............a nice profile

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/254037391.html

[Joemailman]

I could see TT taking him in the 3rd if he doesn't draft a safety before then. He's a playmaker with some bad habits he needs to work on (including leading with the helmet). I agree he probably doesn't last until the 4th round.

[Bretsky]

Charlie Casserly...Redskins former GM...scouts players and often grades players out. He rates HaHa and Prior higher than Kenny Viccario, my mancrush Eric Reed, and Matt Elam.....who were the top 3 dogs last year.
I'd be happy with that production from our 1st round pick.

Then I'd be happy with the Iowa TE with pick number two....maybe you can trade down and still get him but I doubt he makes it back to us at round three. I think JM...you were right....I'm smoking funny stuff to think Ebron slips to 21

And then go mostly Pass Rushers and Defense the rest of the way

[pittstang5]

CJ Fiedorowicz just makes sooo much sense for the Packers. If it doesn't happen, I'm
going to be crushed.

[esoxx]

If Borland drops take him. Tackling machine with real instincts. Time to shore up inside LB position.

[pbmax]

If Borland drops take him. Tackling machine with real instincts. Time to shore up inside LB position.

They need speed, not just a plugger. Only Borland if its late.

[pbmax]

If Borland drops take him. Tackling machine with real instincts. Time to shore up inside LB position.

They need speed, not just a plugger. Only Borland if its late.

Oddly, I have not looked at many mock drafts but did today while discussing Harv's safety prospect. More than half the one's I saw today had the Packers taking Shazier.

[esoxx]

They need speed, not just a plugger. Only Borland if its late.

They need some instinct in there not just speed. Brad Jones has 4.57 speed compared to Borland's 4.83, but couldn't find West with a compass and a map.

That first step and realizing what's happening in the chaos more than make up for any speed deficiency.

You under estimate Borland, but so will most people with a stopwatch and word from the thee cone drill.

Give me an instinctive football player any day over a workout warrior.

[Bretsky]

They need speed, not just a plugger. Only Borland if its late.

Oddly, I have not looked at many mock drafts but did today while discussing Harv's safety prospect. More than half the one's I saw today had the Packers taking Shazier.

Just a Plugger ? How much have you watched Borland ?

Shazier is a really nice fit for what GB needs. The problem is he's a round two guy who will be picked before GB picks.

Path to the Draft..Mike Mayock has Borland rated as the Number 2 inside LB in the draft and projects him round two.

[pbmax]

They need some instinct in there not just speed. Brad Jones has 4.57 speed compared to Borland's 4.83, but couldn't find West with a compass and a map.

That first step and realizing what's happening in the chaos more than make up for any speed deficiency.

You under estimate Borland, but so will most people with a stopwatch and word from the thee cone drill.

Give me an instinctive football player any day over a workout warrior.

I too prefer instinctive. But the Packer suffer less from Jones not being able to stuff the run on first and second down and more from a lack of speed in sideline to sideline pursuit.

Somehow, a defense that contained Brad Jones was able to play solid run defense for half a season before falling apart. But that same defense can do nothing with Colin Kaepernick. It needs speed.

I have no idea when he will be taken, Bretsky says he has been projected to be a 2nd round prospect and he may be. But I don't think the Packers need another limited player in the ILB corp.

Who was that Iowa LB they drafted a while ago? * The perfect college LB who was also slow? I have no ability to project players into the NFL, but I think Borland is more in that camp than second round pick. I hope I am wrong, I like the kid and he played fantastic for the Badgers.


* 4th Round, Abdul Hodge

[pbmax]

Just a Plugger ? How much have you watched Borland ?

Shazier is a really nice fit for what GB needs. The problem is he's a round two guy who will be picked before GB picks.

Path to the Draft..Mike Mayock has Borland rated as the Number 2 inside LB in the draft and projects him round two.

I have seen his entire career. He has been a fantastic college player and he will probably play on Sundays. But that speed is going to hurt him. I think he is a two down guy and the Packers need speed.

[Bretsky]

I have seen his entire career. He has been a fantastic college player and he will probably play on Sundays. But that speed is going to hurt him. I think he is a two down guy and the Packers need speed.

I think he goes round three...but does not make it to GB there
The team who drafts him will think he can rush the passer

[pbmax]

I think he goes round three...but does not make it to GB there
The team who drafts him will think he can rush the passer

He might be able to. Problem is fit. With his speed you will need to protect him in a fashion from being exposed. He will have to make a ton of plays for a Defense to want to do that.

He might, I kept thinking he couldn't get better in college and I was usually wrong. Didn't he move from OLB to the middle?

[texaspackerbacker]

Of the top four Packer picks - 1st, 2nd, and two 3rds, I want to see them double up on Safety and ILB - far and away our biggest needs IMO. Clinton-Dix seems to be the closest thing out there to another Nick Collins - a coverage and ballhawk type. Get him and maybe Reynolds or some other decent third round Safety. I don't see Borland as a "plugger", and I don't see him as all that slow. What he is, is instinctive, and that's what we need. Hawk was supposed to be that way, but really never has been, and Brad Jones isn't even close. In addition to Borland in the second, I want another ILB in the 3rd. Then, from the fourth round on, we can shop around for the BPA. I really don't see any need for a TE - Quarless, Bostick, Taylor, and Stoneburner cover all the bases. We are in good shape at WR - Boykin will be better than James Jones, and somebody will emerge for the 4th and 5th from among Dorsey, Harper, White, etc. We don't need a Center - the Packers way is to cross-train O-Linemen to play Center in a relatively unsophisticated way. Maybe a low rounder for that is about all we need. What else is there? Certainly no need at RB or Corner; We are solid at OLB/Elephant with Peppers now, and retaining Neal as well as Mulumba, who I like as an effort player. QB? a low round camp body maybe - nothing more.

I really hope Thompson doesn't pull the trading down crap again. We need quality more than quantity - I'd rather see him do some trading up.

[HarveyWallbangers]

They are two positions of need, but I can't see us doubling up at those two positions with two picks each in the first three rounds. I especially can't see drafting two ILBs in the first three rounds. Only one ILB is going to be a full-time player. The other one generally sits in nickel and dime situations (50% of the defensive snaps). Plus, I have some hope for the depth at ILB in Barrington and Lattimore. I'd love to get one stud at the position though (possibly Mosley). Hyde and perhaps Richardson offer potential at S, so I don't see us panicking there. You draft for the future with those third round picks. One safety and one ILB with two from WR, TE, OL, DL is more likely with those first four picks.

[pbmax]

They are two positions of need, but I can't see us doubling up at those two positions with two picks each in the first three rounds. I especially can't see drafting two ILBs in the first three rounds. Only one ILB is going to be a full-time player. The other one generally sits in nickel and dime situations (50% of the defensive snaps). Plus, I have some hope for the depth at ILB in Barrington and Lattimore. I'd love to get one stud at the position though (possibly Mosley). Hyde and perhaps Richardson offer potential at S, so I don't see us panicking there. You draft for the future with those third round picks. One safety and one ILB with two from WR, TE, OL, DL is more likely with those first four picks.

Unless wist gets his way, both ILBs play in base and nickel. That would cover more like 75% of snaps.

[smuggler]

I would be a little disappointed if we took Borland in the first three rounds, but I would still cheer for him.

[RashanGary]

Nice find, b. Looks like he good be a really good ss in the NFL.

[run pMc]

I would be a little disappointed if we took Borland in the first three rounds, but I would still cheer for him.

Agree. Borland can play, but I worry that he'll get engulfed at the pro level. You absolutely have to keep him clean and the GB DL doesn't do that well lately. I could see a team like NE or BAL taking a long look at him, but if he goes before R3 it will be a surprise.

I think TT will definitely draft a CB and a WR -- Tramon, House and Boykin, Jordy, Cobb are all FA's. Expecting them all to be on the roster after this season -- while figuring out what to do with Raji and Bulaga -- is optimistic.
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/yearly/

TT will take a safety in Top 100, but I would be completely gobsmacked if he doubled up on S and ILB with his top 4 picks. They have Lattimore and Barrington behind Hawk/Jones, and while it's a need there are other places they will need to shore up. then again, drafting on need is not TT's MO.

[Bretsky]

A nice article on THE HATCHET

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/safety-calvin-pryor-could-be-what-packers-defense-needs-b99255532z1-257250741.html

[The Shadow]

I'm getting into watching this show on NFL Network. Considers your thread for commenting on the show or pimping your favorite players. Here is a safety I'd be all for in round 2 or 3. now I know many will say we'd love him in round 4...IMO he doesn't get there.

ED REYNOLDS............a nice profile

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/254037391.html

Agree 100%.
Maybe a Mosely in Round 1, combined with Ed Reynolds - would make me very happy.

[woodbuck27]

Charlie Casserly...Redskins former GM...scouts players and often grades players out. He rates HaHa and Prior higher than Kenny Viccario, my mancrush Eric Reed, and Matt Elam.....who were the top 3 dogs last year.
I'd be happy with that production from our 1st round pick.

Then I'd be happy with the Iowa TE with pick number two....maybe you can trade down and still get him but I doubt he makes it back to us at round three. I think JM...you were right....I'm smoking funny stuff to think Ebron slips to 21

And then go mostly Pass Rushers and Defense the rest of the way

TE Eric Ebron is ranked 17th overall by DraftScouts.com.

If the Buffalo Bills picking 9th (also need at DT and DE) and the New York Jets picking 18th (also need at CB and WR) pass on Eric Ebron. He could slip to us at #21.

If he does slip to us then TT has options. TT might elect to trade down to the NE Patriots who select at # 29 in Rd. 1 and

New England has close to the same top three primary needs as the Packers (Pass Rush; TE and Safety).

[woodbuck27]

CJ Fiedorowicz just makes sooo much sense for the Packers. If it doesn't happen, I'm
going to be crushed.

A strong possibility in Rd. 3. (Picks 85 and 98).

Being aware of and according to my findings teams that are looking for a TE are:

The Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, New England Patriots and the Green Bay Packers.

[smuggler]

CJ Fiedorowicz will be a good blocker and a nice redzone target, but will never scare teams as a receiver otherwise. That could cause him to fall in the draft out of the third round.

[Fritz]

It's funny how we only want certain players if we can get them in certain rounds, when in truth it is only a tendency and not an absolute that players drafted earlier turn out to be the better players.

For example, say you'd love to see the Packers take someone like Brock Vereen in the third. So would I. But if the Pack drafted him in the second, we would be bummed out. But why? If we think he'd be a really good safety for the Packers, why would we be thrilled to get him in the third, but bummed to get him in the second?

It is, like love, kinda weird.

[Joemailman]

It's funny how we only want certain players if we can get them in certain rounds, when in truth it is only a tendency and not an absolute that players drafted earlier turn out to be the better players.

For example, say you'd love to see the Packers take someone like Brock Vereen in the third. So would I. But if the Pack drafted him in the second, we would be bummed out. But why? If we think he'd be a really good safety for the Packers, why would we be thrilled to get him in the third, but bummed to get him in the second?

It is, like love, kinda weird.

It's because we're greedy. We want Vereen in the 3rd so we take some other sure-fire Pro Bowler in the 2nd.

[pbmax]

This is called AJ Hawk syndrome.

[mraynrand]

It's all about expectations

[Fritz]

It's all about expectations

It's funny, though. And then when the draft rolls around, we devalue players in certain situations. For example, a lot of Rats berated Thompson heavily when he traded back, and traded back, when he could've had a couple RB's everybody here loved. But when he finally took Lacy, because TT had traded back a couple times, people here seemed to think Lacy wasn't any good, like he was leftovers. Yet had TT just picked Lacy with his pick, people would've liked Lacy better.

[pbmax]

It's funny, though. And then when the draft rolls around, we devalue players in certain situations. For example, a lot of Rats berated Thompson heavily when he traded back, and traded back, when he could've had a couple RB's everybody here loved. But when he finally took Lacy, because TT had traded back a couple times, people here seemed to think Lacy wasn't any good, like he was leftovers. Yet had TT just picked Lacy with his pick, people would've liked Lacy better.

It was funny how people read into those trades. McGinn's article on the pick made it seem like Ted was forced to make a pick when he didn't want to.

[Fritz]

That headline still irks me. Like any GM, but especially TT, would be "forced" to pick someone he didn't want.

Dumb headline. Really dumb.

[red]

It was funny how people read into those trades. McGinn's article on the pick made it seem like Ted was forced to make a pick when he didn't want to.

i'm more of the opinion that TT got very lucky with lacy still being there

[pbmax]

i'm more of the opinion that TT got very lucky with lacy still being there

I think he had several players he wanted. After Ball got taken, the list shrunk enough that he couldn't go down anymore.

And the chasm between how a GM looks at a draft and how reporters and fans look at the draft begins immediately. Thompson sees value AND a nice position fit, neither necessarily more important to the other PLUS extra picks.

Reporters see, report and talk about how Thompson has now addressed the RB spot and make a new list of the worst positions on the team (ILB, safety)

[Bretsky]

i'm more of the opinion that TT got very lucky with lacy still being there


With ya but I'll take it; some of the beat writers thought TT loved Monte Ball and really wanted him
Instead, it looks like Denver picked the wrong guy when we might have as well.
Ball is still going to be ok though.